Exercises in the Paces. 115 



The action of the walk is that motion of the 

 legs in which one at a time is off the ground and 

 three on ; marking four distinct beats, as each foot 

 in rotation comes to the ground in the following 

 order : — The off fore foot, leading first, marks one ; 

 the near hind foot, two ; the near fore foot, three ; 

 and the off hind foot, four. 



Here, though the feet follow each other quickly, 

 yet the langour of the action makes the beats flat. 



II. The trot is a more animated pace, proceed- 

 ing from the walk ; for when we animate the horse 

 too much, or urge him to proceed faster than he 

 can by moving one leg after the other, we oblige 

 him to take up two at a time. 



In the trot, the off fore foot and near hind foot 

 mark one beat; and the near fore foot and off 

 hind foot mark another beat ; so that in this action 

 there are two legs crosswise off the ground, and 

 two legs on, which in their alternate change of 

 situation mark the time of one, two. 



Here, as the action is animated, the beats are 

 sharp and quick, in proportion to the degree of 

 animation and extension. 



III. The gallop is a pace of still higher anima- 

 tion, and more exertion than the trot, and proceeds 

 from the trot, as the trot does from the walk \ for 



